Thiruvananthapuram | The Keralam government has been asked to appoint public health expert Dr S S Lal as a special rapporteur-cum-monitor to study issues facing the state's healthcare sector and suggest remedial measures, the SHRC said.
Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas said Lal, a former consultant with the World Health Organisation and a person with international recognition, would be able to study the various challenges confronting the state's healthcare sector and submit long-term recommendations.
The action was taken in a case registered by the commission over challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, in the state's healthcare sector, according to a statement.
In its order, the commission said that with global giants investing heavily in the private healthcare sector, the time may not be far when not only ordinary people but also sections of the middle class would have to depend on the government healthcare system.
"A time may come when treatment at private healthcare centres may not be available without insurance," the order said.
The State Human Rights Commission said it had learnt from media reports that global institutions had invested around USD 1 billion in the state's private healthcare sector.
Lal should hold discussions with various state-level agencies and officials, study the issues in depth and submit an interim report containing his observations, assessment and recommendations to the commission within two months, it said.
He may seek the assistance of Dr Altaf, a professor in the Department of Community Medicine at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, the commission said.
The director of the National Health Mission should provide another expert based on Lal's recommendation, it added.
The government should provide the facilities required by the special monitor, the commission said.
The rapporteur should consider the suggestions of health experts Dr Ramankutty, Dr B Iqbal and Dr M I Junaid Rahman, it said.
Justice Thomas said efforts should be made to achieve the goal of a "new Keralam model" in healthcare, noting that quality healthcare is a constitutional right.
The commission had recently appointed former Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand as a special rapporteur as part of efforts to address waste management issues in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, it added.
